Here we find ourselves in another summer, and things are still in flux. Not bad, but still unsettled. The country is showing mixed economic indicators, with South Florida holding its own, with low unemployment, a continuing influx of people and businesses, and property values faring better than much of the country.
Don’t expect the economic outlook to resolve during the summer, but there are signs that the summer will be good for the tri-county region. Because our data tells us that most of our readers are interested in the travel and tourism industry, and because business in South Florida is all-but synonymous with the leisure sector, we’re renewing our focus on the hospitality industry. So, this summer, across all our channels—monthly print, our revamped website, and our Rarefied e-newsletter—you’ll see more travel content than ever.
Now, for some prognostication. Because many people regard this season as the first summer since 2019 that the pandemic is clearly in the rearview mirror, international travel will be lit this summer. There’s just so much pent-up demand to return to Provence, the Amalfi Coast, the Greek Isles and Mexico, that the domestic side that thrived last year will likely suffer. But that doesn’t necessarily presage a dark picture for South Florida. Data is also showing that what interest there is in domestic travel this summer is focused on two areas. The first is cities. That’s why New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and Boston ranked so well on a recent survey from travelawaits.com. But wait: Miami made the top 10, which is very encouraging, considering that summer is low season.
That could be because domestic travelers, according to the same survey, are also focused on another attribute: beach destinations. Therefore, Greater Miami is extremely well-positioned to experience a lucrative summer: It’s doubly appealing to people who are motivated to travel this summer. And because of lower fuel prices and the softer demand for domestic vacations across the board, travelers will find airfares much more reasonable than last year. It’s not unheard of to find a one-way American Airlines fare for $89 between Miami and New York. And since most roundtrip flights to Europe are commanding $1,100 and higher this summer (last summer, you could snag one for $700), procrastinators may end up opting for last-minute domestic trips in the end. And South Florida hotel rates are a steal compared to high season.
So, it’s appropriate that we’re featuring on our cover one of South Florida’s most effective boosters, Stacy Ritter, who serves as the president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale, the city’s wildly successful tourism arm that just announced record-breaking numbers at the Together We Shine Tourism Luncheon at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. And as Ritter makes clear in our cover story, “The Embracing Place,” Fort Lauderdale is triumphing, in part, by reminding people that the city remains a beacon of inclusivity and diversity. As its motto says, “Everyone Under the Sun.” That’s a worthy example for the rest of the country, rain or shine.
